'Jack the Snipper' bail set at $50,000

Wednesday

Feb 6, 2013 at 12:00 PMFeb 6, 2013 at 1:46 PM

By ANDREA BULFINCHabulfinch@fosters.com

DOVER — Bail was set at $50,000 cash only for Jeffrey Gelinas who faces one misdemeanor count of indecent exposure after he allegedly exposed his genitals to a young girl at a Central Avenue store Sunday afternoon.

Though the 37-year- old pleaded not guilty to the indecent exposure charge, he did acknowledge being in the Bed, Bath & Beyond store at the time the incident was reported. He is also being considered a danger to the community.

Judge Stephen Morrison doubled the amount of the prosecution's initial bail request due to Gelinas' criminal record, which dates back to the mid-1990s. He also is the sole suspect in a string of burglaries in Durham apartments in 2003 and 2004 during which an intruder cut off or removed clothing from sleeping women, earning the culprit the nickname of "Jack the Snipper."

Morrison set bial conditions that include a curfew from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. and prohibit Gelinas from having contact with or coming within 100 yards of the 11-year-old Dover victim. He is also restricted from entering Dover city limits unless the purpose is to meet with an attorney. Should bail be posted, Gelinas will be assessed for entrance into the Strafford County Community Corrections program through which he would be monitored by GPS and undergo a mental health referral.

Since 1995, Gelinas has been charged with criminal trespassing twice, loitering twice, a violation of privacy, providing a false report to police, stalking, violating terms of probation, and burglary with an underlying crime of alleged sexual assault.

He was the primary suspect in eight other burglaries, though he pleaded guilty to just a single felony burglary charge in 2004 and was sentenced to 1½ to 8 years in state prison.

Gelinas was released on parole in April of 2012 after appearing before the adult parole board in February of that year.

In 2008, he provided information to police admitting that he had been viewing women at the Manchester Stop and Shop for sexual purposes.

Gelinas told Morrison he resides in Manchester and is just a 30-second walk from the home of his elderly parents, whose well being he cited a concern for having such high bail.

He also said he would like to be able to continue to work as a travel agent. “All of my roots are here. I'm not a flight risk,” he said.

Morrison, however, kept the bail at $50,000 and said his reasoning was he is very concerned about the potential danger to the public.

Geilnas is scheduled to appear for trial at Dover Circuit Court April 10 at 10 a.m.

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